Felicia Lin

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Talking Taiwan: Brian Foden: Newscaster for ICRT Talks About How Life has Changed in Taiwan

In this episode of Talking Taiwan, I’m speaking with Brian Foden. We’re welcoming Brian back on as a guest after discovering his lost episode that was recorded 10 years ago. Originally from Canada, he’s been living in Taiwan for over 20 years now. We spoke about what Taiwan was like when he first arrived, how it’s changed and what life is like for him these days. Brian is a writer/editor and part-time newscaster at ICRT.

 

Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:

 

·      When Brian arrived in Taiwan

·      How life is like in Taiwan now that the government has switched away from a zero-COVID strategy

·      What life was like in the early period of the pandemic when Taiwan had no local COVID cases

·      How Brian manages working remotely and in-person at the office

·      Brian started working at ICRT in May of 2000 and worked there full-time until 2004

·      Brian’s position as morning show news producer at ICRT

·      How Brian left ICRT in 2004 and returned in 2012

·      Brian’s work as a news reader at ICRT

·      Brian’s background in journalism

·      Comparing winters in Regina, Saskatchewan and in Ottawa, Ontario

·      How Brian ended up in Taiwan

·      How Taiwan has changed in the time that Brian has lived there

·      Chen Shui-bian was elected President around the time that Brian moved to Taiwan; it was the first time that a Democratic Progressive Party candidate had been elected President in Taiwan

·      The development of Taiwan’s MRT system

·      The popularity of English learning magazines in Taiwan

·      How ICRT has changed over the years

·      The podcast series Rick Monday made about ICRT (Radioactive Taiwan)

·      The glory days of ICRT and the impact it made on Taiwan’s culture and society in the 1980s

·      How Brian first got his job at ICRT in 2000

·      Brian’s advice for anyone considering living and working in Taiwan

·      The type of writing Brian does for work

·      What Brian found difficult about journalism

 

Related Links:

 

CORONAVIRUS/Pharmacists group critical of low rapid test deliveries for weekend (an article from Focus Taiwan): https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202204290016

Saliva rapid test kits now on sale at pharmacy chains in Taiwan (an article from Taiwan News): https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4535548

Regina, Saskatchewan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina,_Saskatchewan

Ottawa, Ontario: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa

Nanaimo, British Columbia: https://www.nanaimo.ca/

1997 Asian financial crisis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_financial_crisis

https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/asian-financial-crisis

https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/1998/06/imfstaff.htm

https://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-financial-crisis

Chen Shui-bian: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Shui-bian

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Progressive_Party

Kuomintang (KMT): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang

Lien Chan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lien_Chan

James Soong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Soong

Ma Ying-jeou: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Ying-jeou

President Tsai Ing-wen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsai_Ing-wen

Taipei MRT system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipei_Metro

Let’s Talk in English magazine: https://lt.studioclassroom.com/

Making Money on English Magazines: As Easy as ABC?: https://www.taiwan-panorama.com/en/Articles/Details?Guid=74c48a3a-ad14-4c2c-aee5-1a591539ccb8&CatId=9&postname=Making%20Money%20on%20English%20Magazines:%20As%20Easy%20as%20ABC

ICRT (International Community Radio Taipei): https://www.icrt.com.tw/

Radioactive Taiwan podcast: https://report.tw/radioactive/?fbclid=IwAR1M-5CeycHifjhwf-ptU2NcRRPyQmKAH-DR7Q5fBjEAMe161BtuTuJZUCE

Chiang Kai-shek: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek

Richard Wang Announcer of Taiwan Baseball Games: First Pro Sports Since Covid-19 Pandemic (Episode 77): https://talkingtaiwan.com/richard-wang-announcer-of-taiwan-baseball-games-ep-77/

Understanding the History of Taiwan through Dr. Jerome Keating (Episode 97): https://talkingtaiwan.com/understanding-the-history-of-taiwan-through-dr-jerome-keating-ep-97/

 

LISTEN to Episode 185: Brian Foden: Newscaster for ICRT Talks About How Life has Changed in Taiwan HERE

LISTEN to Talking Taiwan on your preferred podcasting platform!

Apple Podcasts: Click HERE to Listen

Audible: Click HERE to Listen

Spotify: Click HERE to Listen

Stitcher: Click HERE to Listen

Google Podcasts: Click HERE to Listen

iHeartRADIO: Click HERE to Listen

In this episode of Talking Taiwan, I’m speaking with Brian Foden. We’re welcoming Brian back on as a guest after discovering his lost episode that was recorded 10 years ago. Originally from Canada, he’s been living in Taiwan for over 20 years now. We spoke about what Taiwan was like when he first arrived, how it’s changed and what life is like for him these days. Brian is a writer/editor and part-time newscaster at ICRT.

 

Here’s a little preview of what we talked about in this podcast episode:

 

·      When Brian arrived in Taiwan

·      How life is like in Taiwan now that the government has switched away from a zero-COVID strategy

·      What life was like in the early period of the pandemic when Taiwan had no local COVID cases

·      How Brian manages working remotely and in-person at the office

·      Brian started working at ICRT in May of 2000 and worked there full-time until 2004

·      Brian’s position as morning show news producer at ICRT

·      How Brian left ICRT in 2004 and returned in 2012

·      Brian’s work as a news reader at ICRT

·      Brian’s background in journalism

·      Comparing winters in Regina, Saskatchewan and in Ottawa, Ontario

·      How Brian ended up in Taiwan

·      How Taiwan has changed in the time that Brian has lived there

·      Chen Shui-bian was elected President around the time that Brian moved to Taiwan; it was the first time that a Democratic Progressive Party candidate had been elected President in Taiwan

·      The development of Taiwan’s MRT system

·      The popularity of English learning magazines in Taiwan

·      How ICRT has changed over the years

·      The podcast series Rick Monday made about ICRT (Radioactive Taiwan)

·      The glory days of ICRT and the impact it made on Taiwan’s culture and society in the 1980s

·      How Brian first got his job at ICRT in 2000

·      Brian’s advice for anyone considering living and working in Taiwan

·      The type of writing Brian does for work

·      What Brian found difficult about journalism

 

Related Links:

 

CORONAVIRUS/Pharmacists group critical of low rapid test deliveries for weekend (an article from Focus Taiwan): https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202204290016

Saliva rapid test kits now on sale at pharmacy chains in Taiwan (an article from Taiwan News): https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4535548

Regina, Saskatchewan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regina,_Saskatchewan

Ottawa, Ontario: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa

Nanaimo, British Columbia: https://www.nanaimo.ca/

1997 Asian financial crisis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_financial_crisis

https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/asian-financial-crisis

https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/1998/06/imfstaff.htm

https://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-financial-crisis

Chen Shui-bian: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Shui-bian

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Progressive_Party

Kuomintang (KMT): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuomintang

Lien Chan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lien_Chan

James Soong: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Soong

Ma Ying-jeou: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Ying-jeou

President Tsai Ing-wen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsai_Ing-wen

Taipei MRT system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipei_Metro

Let’s Talk in English magazine: https://lt.studioclassroom.com/

Making Money on English Magazines: As Easy as ABC?: https://www.taiwan-panorama.com/en/Articles/Details?Guid=74c48a3a-ad14-4c2c-aee5-1a591539ccb8&CatId=9&postname=Making%20Money%20on%20English%20Magazines:%20As%20Easy%20as%20ABC?

ICRT (International Community Radio Taipei): https://www.icrt.com.tw/

Radioactive Taiwan podcast: https://report.tw/radioactive/?fbclid=IwAR1M-5CeycHifjhwf-ptU2NcRRPyQmKAH-DR7Q5fBjEAMe161BtuTuJZUCE

Chiang Kai-shek: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek

Richard Wang Announcer of Taiwan Baseball Games: First Pro Sports Since Covid-19 Pandemic (Episode 77): https://talkingtaiwan.com/richard-wang-announcer-of-taiwan-baseball-games-ep-77/

Understanding the History of Taiwan through Dr. Jerome Keating (Episode 97): https://talkingtaiwan.com/understanding-the-history-of-taiwan-through-dr-jerome-keating-ep-97/

 

LISTEN to Episode 185: Brian Foden: Newscaster for ICRT Talks About How Life has Changed in Taiwan HERE

LISTEN to Talking Taiwan on your preferred podcasting platform!

Apple Podcasts: Click HERE to Listen

Audible: Click HERE to Listen

Spotify: Click HERE to Listen

Stitcher: Click HERE to Listen

Google Podcasts: Click HERE to Listen

iHeartRADIO: Click HERE to Listen